no ordinary girl
by siren of titan
Summary: Bella was led to believe she was ordinary and that was okay with her, even in a world where she was surrounded by the supernatural. Shes had a great deal of hardship early on and seems to be a magnet for trouble and the disdain of edward cullen. The two can't seem to get along. A spell meant to reconcile will do so much more, shedding light on more than one truth. R&R please.
1. thin ice

**Okay-sorry everyone who got invested with the other story line, because I have to change it...a bit. good news is, most the plot is staying the same just some stuff is being done differently. bad news- the first two chapters are completely scraped. good news- I have already replaced them. hope you like this new direction. I'm sorry for how its being done. I was at a total writers block but now I ca**n **see it all. I guess sometimes you need to start writing to see where it really is going. so still a magical element. still an edward bella story. hope you enjoy. review please.**

* * *

"What's she doing here?" Bella heard his low accusing hiss, directed towards her teddy bear of a brother, Emmett. She steadied herself on her ice-skates, glancing around at the boys on the ice, in front of her.

She looked over in time to see him shake his head, frustrated brows in place, as though simply her existence caused him annoyance.

"She wants to play." She heard a boy reply, in a cool taunting manor that matched the smirk on his face.

"The orphan wants to play? Let her play."

"More like get creamed." The others continued to tease, in the unthoughtful jerky way only thirteen year old boys can.

"Shut up, that's my sister. One more peep and I'll use your face to clear the snow from the ice."

It was silent for a beat, no one wanting to take Emmett up on his offer.

"Come on, Em." Bella whined. "I'm just as good as those losers," she threw the boys a look, letting them know they didn't get to her. "Is it 'cause I'm a girl? So what?"

Bella couldn't read his face for sure, but she thought he was beginning to cave.

"Well…"

"No way!" Edward cut in. "She's not playing with us. End of discussion."

"That's not fair! Who made you the boss?" she questioned hotly, jutting her chin at him in defiance.

"You're too little. You could get hurt. Just go find Alice and Bree with the girls down there and practice your twirls or something."

"I don't want to play with them. This is stupid. I'm only a year younger than you guys. I'm not little. I can take a hit."

"Oh, Come on, lets play already." One of the boys, Garrett, complained loudly.

"I'm not playing if she's playing, so make up your mind." Edward spoke and the boys grumbled their dissatisfaction. Bella knew she would get massacred now if she was the reason Edward, the star player, didn't play. He gave her no choice.

"Fine, Cullen. I hope you guys have a great game," she hissed sarcastically, at him. Her fury reflected in his own eyes.

It was always like this with these two. Constantly arguing and fighting. Someone was always doing or saying something the other took the wrong way, or simply disliked hearing. If they were bickering, shouting, or taunting each other, they were giving each other the cold shoulder.

It had been like that pretty much since day one, when Bella moved in next door, with the McCarthys'.

"Come on, Bells, go find Bree, and I'll come get you in an hour, two tops. I'll make you hot chocolate with the big marshmallows when we get home." Emmett promised, trying to placate his simmering sister.

She nodded once sharply and turned around, skating away from the ice rink the boys made on the recently frozen lake.

She could see the girls clearly on the other end, doing figure eights and skating around aimlessly.

"Boys won't let you play?" Alice shouted, as she got closer.

"Your brother is a real jerk. Got the others against me. He's probably afraid I'd skate circles around him. "Insufferable" she added.

"You're telling me, his ability is starting to kick in since his birthday, you know. He's starting to pick my mind, even though my parents told him to stop. I'm pretty sure he still does it when he wants to know something. It's so frustrating and it's only going to get stronger."

Alice, like Edward,was part of the Elite. This was an 'underground' group of people, who had super human abilities. It started as some experiment, in the 1920's. Someone had tapped into something big and they were trying it on ordinary people, without their knowing or permission.

This groups , known as the elite shadows, wanted to use the people as an army, to take over the world. Turns out giving people super strength and tapping into their own personal abilities, did not guarantee these people would do your bidding.

There was a big fight, even naturals got involved. Now the elite are spread out all over the world. There are city and town hubs, like the one Bella lives in. From the outside, a totally normal New England town, but within, lies many secrets and quite a few _interesting_ people.

Naturals also flock to hubs. Naturals are people who were born with natural abilities. It was these people, among other relics that were used to create the substance for the Elite.

Many of the Elite, but not all, have their own unique power that develops around their 13th birthday. Bella sometimes jokes and calls them the x-men, but they just scuff at such a comparison.

The Cullens and McCarthys' are both Elites, so Bella was privy to their world, even though she was an outsider looking in.

"So if there is anything you need to keep a secret, don't bother telling me. Edward will just dig it out of my head." She added, regretfully.

"I wonder if he'll ever be able to get inside my head. I hope not. I really don't think I could handle that." Bella whispered, thinking back to the day this was discovered.

_She had stopped by to let Emmett know dinner was ready. The boys were in the family room playing a video game and she could hear Emmett complaining about something from the doorway._

"_Hey. Sorry to interrupt but Julie said Dinner's ready." Bella never called her mom, it just always felt weird. Aside from Emmett. Gram was the only one in the house she felt connected to. _

"_Yeah, okay. Wouldn't want to play with this cheater, anyway."_

"_For the last time, I wasn't cheating. I'm just better than you!" Edward fumed._

"_How is he cheating?" Bella pressed._

"_His mind trick ability. He's totally taking advantage."_

"_Really, Emmett. My parents warned me to use control and I am."_

"_It takes a lot of concentration right now anyway. I couldn't do two things at once." He added._

"_I bet you can't do it at all. I bet you have zero control," Bella teased._

_Edward glared at her and then was silence, still staring at her, as though he were pulling the thoughts from her head, and she was desperately hoping he wasn't able to. 'Don't think, don't think, don't think' she repeated to herself._

_After a full minute his expression changed to one of aggravated frustration. He moved to get closer, even placing his hands on her head, his thumbs, lightly pressing against her temples, as though proximity would help him._

"_How are you doing this?" he hissed._

"_Doing what?"_

"_I can't hear you. I get nothing." He let her go and paced back and forth._

"_It doesn't make any sense. You're not even an elite or even a natural._

"_And maybe you're not as amazing as you think!" she shot back. "Come on, em, let's go"._

Apparently he had a big flip out after that and tested himself out with just about everyone in town. Bella was always the one exception and it drove him crazy.

"Maybe you're a natural?" Alice speculated, shaking her out of her reverie.

"William took me to the Denali sisters a few years ago just to see. They did some spell mumbo jumbo to see if I had anything in me. Whatever they said to him, it was clear that I simply wasn't a witch. And they would know. I mean they've been around, what two centuries… it's just odd that so far I'm the only one. Maybe I'm wired wrong…" the last part worried her but she tried to shake it off.

"Hey Alice! Come on and spin with us! Jessica shouted.

"Oh, hi Bella, didn't see you there" she added, her tone not quite overtly offensive.

Bella gave a polite smile. She had never really fit in with these girls. The popular girls, also all Elites. Except Angela, who was a natural, but she fit in enough to get by. Lauren was basically the queen Bee. Jessica and Bree, her adoptive sister, Victoria, Maria , and even Alice.

She was never close with Bree, mainly because Bree was what happens when a child is spoiled and taught to expect everything to fall at her feet. They didn't have much in common. Bree cared too much about what other people thought of her and was a little too boy crazy for Bella's taste. She always hoped Bree would grow out of this because she had a lot of potential if she wouldn't refuse to see it. She was a year younger that Bella. Bella and Alice were in the middle, a grade level below the boys.

Bella always liked Alice. She was full of energy and thoughtful, but she could lose herself a lot with this group of girls, so Bella was timid about becoming good friends with her, even though they were neighbors.

"Bella?! Earth to Bella?!" Lauren mocked, making the other girls laugh.

Suddenly Bella felt her arms being pulled, as Lauren latched on.

"Geesh. Have fun for once!" she instructed, pulling Bella along.

Lauren stopped in front of Bree and took her arm so they formed a chain.

"I love to spin on the ice. You should try it with us," Lauren told her,as they began to move.

Bella had a feeling in her gut that something wasn't right. Lauren was never one to seek her out, unless it was to try and make fun of her or give her a hard time.

The girls were picking up speed and so was Bella's internal alert system.

"I think I'm done. I'm getting kind of dizzy" she insisted, trying to shrug out of her grasp.

"Ok. If you insist," Lauren replied, a little too cheerily. And with that she sent Bella flying across the ice.

"oops". No sincerity in her voice.

Bella tried to get her body under control, but landed pretty ungracefully. That's when she heard a terrifying sound. She glanced around quickly, her heart pounding.

She was in the worst spot possible. The ice was too thin and began cracking around her. She didn't even get a chance to scream. The last thing she saw was Edward Cullen's eyes locked on hers. Then nothing but cold. The icy water took her breath away. She felt so weak and heavy. She tried to crawl out but couldn't manage. The water was pulling her into the darkness.

Then suddenly she was really being pulled. Down and down quickly. She hit the bottom hard. Her hand digging into the sandy bottom.

She felt something wrap around her hand and looked down to find a faint glow of something there. Then she screamed with all the strength left in her as an image appeared in front of her. A young woman, who was clearly not of this world. The woman, smiled reassuringly, pressing the object into her hand more firmly. Then Bella felt herself rising, as the image of the young woman disappeared in the darkness.

Her lungs burned and she felt darkness closing in around her. Then once again she felt something grab onto her and pull her, only this time it was a tighter hold and she was going back up towards the surface.

When she broke free from the water, she gasped for air. All her sensations overwhelming her. She could hear a familiar voice in her ear, chanting her name; for her to stay with him.

She felt herself being pulled and moved around in jerky movements, but her eyes were suddenly so heavy. Her toes tingled and her body ached.

"Is she breathing?"

" Jesus, I think she's dead"

" she's not moving"

"Shut up! All of you! Emmett go get your car. She's going to be fine."

"Whats in her hand?"

"Miracle you even found her."

"Thank You, Edward." That one was Alice. She could recognize her shaky voice.

* * *

She woke up in a hospital bed, Doctor Cullen holding her chart.

"How are you feeling?" he asked when he noticed she was awake.

"It hurts a little." Lie. She felt like death.

"That's to be expected. You're extremely lucky. Do you remember what happened?"

Bella thought for a minute. "Lauren flung me, but I landed on the thin ice and fell through. There was a girl or woman. She gave me something. She was dead I think. I think she was helping me and then I was pulled out…did Edward grab me?" she asked.

"Yes. He jumped in when him and Emmett couldn't see you."

"Oh…is he okay?"

Dr. Cullen chuckled. "He's a very sturdy boy, so yes, he's fine, resting up.

"You gave everyone a great scare. You've been through a lot, its not unusual for people to image things in these kinds of circumstances. You just need some more rest."

"You mean the lady, don't you?" she hedged. "I know what I saw. She was there. You, more than just about anyone, should know those possibilities."

"You're right. I'm being unfair. I just didn't want to scare you. It's a lot to take in and I don't want you getting worked up.

"Would you like to see Alice? She's waiting outside with Emmett. She's been asking to see you." He replied, changing the subject.

"Yes, please. Send them in."

Dr. Cullen left and a moment later Alice rushed in with Emmett close behind her.

"I'm so sorry, Bella!"

"Why are you sorry? You're not the one who is responsible." She asked, confused.

"But they're my friend…or were. I should have seen what kind of people Lauren and Jessica are. I told them just that."

"Bree's in trouble too. Dad reamed her out for her part. Though I don't think she knew of lauren's plan…more for following people like Lauren around, but I'm not sure she really got it. Like it was just some silly accident."

"And Lauren is in big trouble with her parents. She insists she didn't mean to fling you onto thin ice, only that she was playing around." Alice added.

"I think she kind of realize no one was going to buy her crocodile tears and insistence that it was an accident, after Edward totally went ballistic on her and Bree."

"Edward?" Bella questioned, confused, as to why he would care so much.

"I guess he was pretty mad after what he ended up going through." She decided, speaking out loud.

"He was really worried, Bell. I've never seen him so shaken up." Alice insisted.

"Probably felt bad, since it was his stupid idea to go hang out with those girls. He practically got me killed," she exclaimed. She knew she was being a brat but she felt awful and needed to vent somehow. Plus, she wasn't that comfortable talking about this with Alice and her brother.

"Sure blame me, I only saved your life." She looked over to see Edward now standing in the doorway. Her mouth opened and closed like a fish out of water, unable to think of something to say.

"Emmett, come help me pick out something from the vending machine. Maybe this is a good time for you two to kiss and make up, "Alice explained, grabbing Emmett by the shirt before he could protest.

Bella made a face at her back as she left.

She heard Edward mumble, 'not likely'.

It was awkwardly quiet for a moment. Bella was unsure what to say. 'Thank you' seemed like not enough.

Then she got distracted by what she saw in his hand.

"Was that what I found in the water?" she blurted out.

Edward walked in and sat down, dropping the necklace over the blanket covering her legs.

"It was in your hand when I pulled you out." He answered, staring at it.

"It belonged to a young woman, I think. She died…I saw her down there…she helped me, I'm pretty sure she was trying to at least." She explained, feeling a bit foolish. She didn't know why she was telling him this. She was sure he would make fun of her.

"It was giving off a glow, that's how I was able to see you. I..I don't think I would have gotten to you in time…" he surprised her with his sincerity. The events from today must have really shaken him up.

"It must be a good luck charm or something. You should keep it."

"Thank you…for saving my life…um, it was very brave of you."

"Well, I'm an elite so its not as dangerous for me. That was a cake walk, really." He shrugged it off. She couldn't tell if he was being cocky or not, but under the circumstances she decided to let it go. Besides, she was having a hard time keeping her eyes open.

"You should get some sleep. You're tired."

"What, can you read my mind now? She questioned, lightly.

"No," she thought she heard a slight growl coming from him. "But you can't keep your eyes open, so its pretty obvious.

"k…" she mumbled, already halfway out.

Just before sleep claimed her, she could have swore she felt something soft and warm press against her forehead.


	2. letters and apologies

**chapters 1 and 2 have been replaced. please read chapter 1 first. thanks**

* * *

The snow was beginning to fall again, peoples' houses strung with lights, Christmas trees in the windows. Bella always had a fondness for this time of year. It reminded her of her parents, her real parents. Though she didn't remember much. Building a snowman with her dad, and hanging decorations on the tree. Baking gingerbread cookies with her mom.

It was hard for her to remember them very clearly, after all this time, so she tried to hold on to what memories she could.

It was late spring when she arrived at the McCarthy's. It was a time she remembered very little of. As though a section of her life had just been wiped from her mind. She remembers that day and then nothing. Like the lights went out. And then one day someone turned them back on. She remembers the man who brought her to the McCarthy's. He was tall and had very dark eyes. She remembers being afraid of him at first, that he would hurt her.

He had assured her he was there to help and even though she was so young she got the sense he was struggling with how t handle helping a young girl like herself, like it was out of his element. He didn't talk much, but she could tell he was sincere. She was only with him for the trip to the house, probably two to three days at most.

She remembers sitting in the car. The rain was falling hard against the window, as a man emerged from the house, Mr. McCarthy. He stopped on the porch, neck stretching out to get a glimpse of her before he turned back to the man.

She could tell he was yelling by the way he moved his arms and moved around. The man put his hand on his shoulder and talked to him quietly. Mr. McCarthy seemed to calm down, glancing back in her direction once more before nodding decisively.

The man then came back and opened her door.

"Ok, little one, this is your stop. Don't worry, these people will take very good care of you, I promise." He smiled and winked at her, in assurance.

"I want my mom. When can I go home?" she asked in a small voice.

"I'm sorry, little one, but this is your home now. There's no going back, I'm afraid." He pulled her out of her seat and ran through the rain.

She was too young and confused to really understand, but she never stopped wanting her mom.

She wrote to her, in a diary, as a way to stay connected to her.

* * *

"What are you doing? The bell rang. Hurry up or I'm leaving you here." Edward's voice, ever so irritable.

"Sorry, I didn't realize-"

"What are you writing in that thing anyway, we're on break, so it can't be class work…is it a love note?" he mocked, his hand swiping the journal from under her.

"Give it back!" she shouted, lounging for him and the book.

_"Dear mom,_

_I miss you more and more as the weather turns cold. I was_ _just remember-"_

"Stop it! That's private!" she cried, cheeks turning red in both anger and embarrassment. She jumped on him from behind and got a hold of the journal in her right hand. Edward swung around suddenly and she went tumbling to the ground.

"Calm down, crazy."

Tears pricked her eyes, not from the fall, but because of what happened in the mist of it. In her hand she held half her journal, the other piece was still clutched in Edward's hand.

"You ruined it," she whispered, afraid he voice would betray her.

"You're the one who went all psycho and jumped on me. I would have given it back." He tried to justify.

" You had no right…"

"Why are you even writing your mom, she left you and never looked back? You still think she's going to show up at the front door and take you away from this awful place?" His tone was bitter, not understanding.

He knelt down and handed her the other half, then shoved his hand in his pockets, awkwardly, as a tear slipped down her face.

Bella never cried and she was crying now. And it was his fault. Sure they fight all the time but usually only because she drove him crazy. She was far too stubborn and hardheaded for her own good. Always trying to put him in his place. Always getting herself into some kind of trouble. It was enough to drive anyone mad.

And her mind. Always silent. He could hardly take it. What was she thinking?!

"You don't know anything." She hissed. She had a point there, he thought.

"I know if my family left me, I wouldn't waste my time, waiting for them to come get me. This woman left you on some strangers' doorstep and that doesn't bother you? She's not coming back, Bella, get over it."

It came out harsher than he intended. But maybe thats what it would take for her to see... He felt regret for his words though when he heard her sniffling and trying to hide her tears from him. But another part of him was still irrationally angry. Could she just so easily up and leave this town and all she knows, if this woman was to come back in her life? He wondered. For some reason, this thought made his really livid. That she was always so ready to leave.

"Just go away." It was a soft whisper. He had pushed too hard.

"Look, we better go before we get locked in the school all winter break." He tried to joke and ease the tension.

"Just go. I feel like walking anyway."

"Fine... suit yourself" he snapped, annoyed with her stubbornness . He hadn't meant to wreck her journal, but she didn't have to act like it was the end of the world.

* * *

"Bella decided to walk" he announced when he reached his car, informing his sister, Emmett and Bree.

"Good. At least we won't have to squish in the back like usual." Bree chimed in.

"What did you do?" Alice accused.

"Nothing. I may have had an equal part in the destruction of her property, but she's the one acting like a drama queen.

"What was it? It must have been important if she's upset." Alice insisted.

"Just some stupid journal. She can tape it back together."

"Did you at least apologize?" she asked, frustrated.

"I…might have…no…but she didn't….ugh. she's the one who was being an inconvenience to everyone, writing some stupid letter to someone who won't ever read it, while everyone else freezes their butts off waiting for her."

"Wait, what?" Emmett piped up, confused.

"Nothing"

"No, who won't read what?" Emmett asked.

"Her mom. She still thinks that lady is coming to get her or something. Like being here is just so painful for her. She would rather put her faith in some woman who abandoned her, that the family she's known for 10 years…"

It was silent in the car for a long pause.

"Edward, what are you talking about? Her mom didn't abandon her, she died. Apparently, Bella was there at the time but doesn't really remember much." Emmett informed him.

"What…no. How is it I never knew this. Your dad said she dropped Bella off. That she would be staying with you guys."

"I don't know, maybe because we were so young. I mean I didn't learn the truth right away, not until the nightmare got really bad…then our parents told us. I mean we still don't know the full story, but basically, dad owed this guy for like saving mom's life one time and he cashed it in. We don't bring it up much cause it make Bella sad…" Emmett trailed off as Bella came into view.

"Fuck…I mean, god, how was I supposed to know?!

"I'll go apologize and get her to come with us…somehow" he said getting out of the car.

"Bella! Wait up a sec!" he called, jogging over.

Just then he heard the harsh sound of squealing tires as a van can careening across the parking lot, straight for Bella.

"BELLA!" he shouted, running as fast as his leg would carry him. He knew it wouldn't be fast enough.

Bella stood there, nowhere to go. Her eyes focused solely on the van, as though she couldn't look away. Then, suddenly the car turned sharply, rolling over before coming to a complete stop, about 20 feet from where Bella stood.

"Jesus, are you okay?! I thought…you were almost killed…" She noticed a sort of franticness in his voice she didn't like. He grabbed her arms and jerked her forward like he was about to crush her to him, but stopped himself, at the last second.

"Sorry to disappoint," she said, mustering up a smile, though her heart was nearly beating out of her chest.

"Not funny"

"Must be my lucky charm," she explained, holding up her necklace.

"and just your luck, you have a habit of finding trouble," he added, with an edge in him tone.

"Bella!" the others shouted, now within feet of her. Alice ran right into her and gave her a huge hug, Emmett right behind her. Even Bree said something nice.

They went and checked on Tyler, who had been driving the van. Someone else in the parking lot had already called 911.

"Can I talk to you for a second?" Edward asked, shyly.

"Fine." They walked off a little bit before Edward began.

"Look, I'm sorry about what I said and about your mom. I didn't know…"

"Its fine. How could you have…you're still a jerk though."

"and your still a pain in the ass, so good, back to normal.

* * *

Things went back to normal and even though the winter break started out so intensely, it mellowed out pretty fast.

After the annual Christmas eve party the McCarthy's throw every year, Bella made her way to her room. She noticed a small gift on her bed, with no card. She tore away the wrapping and found a new journal and knew exactly where it must have come from.

With a small smile on her face, she drifted to sleep.


End file.
